January 8, 2026, 1:45 p.mJan 8, 2026, 2:18 p.m
At Nestlé, the global recall of baby food is expanding. According to the food company, a few days ago a good 30 countries were affected, but according to the latest information on Thursday morning there are now at least 50.
The Nestlé recall is expanding.Image: nestlé
In Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Nestlé is recalling baby food batches in major markets such as Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Australia and New Zealand are now also affected. In Europe, recalls have taken place in at least 27 markets so far. However, no recall has yet been ordered for the USA and Canada.
On Monday, Nestlé announced that it was recalling infant formula that could be contaminated with poison. The well-known Beba brand and special products such as Alfamino are affected. Parents were asked by Nestlé to stop using the products from certain batches and to return them to retailers.
There is a risk of image damage
According to a website dedicated to the incident, Nestlé still assumes that the financial consequences will be limited. It is still said that the recall accounts for significantly less than 0.5 percent of the food company’s annual sales.
The damage to the image is likely to be greater. If consumers’ concerns about product and brand safety drag on, this could trigger major sales losses, according to a comment from the investment bank Jefferies. Competitors like Danone could benefit from this.
Jean-Philippe Bertschy from Bank Vontobel also believes that the massive product recall poses reputational risks. Even if no illnesses are known yet, the case leaves a “bitter aftertaste,” especially when it comes to communication.
The expectations of the new company management under CEO Philipp Navratil are high, including when it comes to communication. As soon as the extent of the recall is known, Nestlé must provide comprehensive and clear information in order to regain trust, said the Vontobel analyst.
Full transparency required
Nestlé is also receiving criticism from the consumer protection organization Foodwatch, which assumes that around 60 countries and more than 800 products from over ten Nestlé factories are affected by the campaign. Nestlé and the responsible authorities sometimes waited weeks until they were informed about the problems.
The NGO continues that many questions remain unanswered about this “scandal”. For example, at the time when the contamination first occurred or at the production plants affected by the problems. Full transparency is needed, Foodwatch demanded in a statement.
When asked by the AWP news agency on Thursday, Nestlé itself did not comment on the possible damage to its image or on questions about the overall scope of the recall. The company referred to the information on its website. (dab/sda/awp)